BROOKLYN, NY– Trinidadian Stanley Chadee Jr continued his frenetic start to the new Assiniboia Downs season, capturing the feature CAN$36 000 Manitoba Mile Stakes with 6-1 chance Plentiful on the seven-race card here Wednesday.
Going a mile in race six for the three-year-olds and upward, Chadee partnered with the seven-year-old bay gelding to reach the wire a length clear of 4-1 bet St Louie Guy.
Favorite Pioneer Spirit, ridden by leading jockey Jorge Carreno, posted the early fractions by churning out 22.60 seconds for the quarter and 47.40 for the half, with Real Grace tracking from second under Jamaican Leroy Nelson.
Sharp Dressed Beau stalked from third and Eddie Forever, fourth, but Plentiful remained well off the pace, seventh in the nine-horse field.
Pioneer Spirit led into the stretch, but Chadee brought Plentiful with a strong challenge at the eighth pole before collaring the leader mid-stretch and taking charge in the final yards.
Reigning champion Barbadian Antonio Whitehall also tasted success, winning race three over 5-½ furlongs with favorite Gold Diggin Darlin, making all the running with the five-year-old bay mare to beat the three-year-old and upward fillies and mares by 3-½ lengths.
Jamaican Shamaree Muir also found himself in winners’ row when he steered 31-1 longshot, Zoey Ria, to a narrow victory by a head over 41-1 longshot Halo’s Phenomenon, in a six-furlong sprint in race five for the three-year-old and upward maiden fillies and mares.
And fellow Jamaican Neville Stephenson also got in on the act with victory in the day’s final race aboard favorite Youngboy, whipping the three-year-olds and upward by 2-¼ lengths in a 5-½ furlong dash.
Chadee currently lies second in the standings on 32 wins but 16 off leader Carreno, with Nelson third on 23 wins.
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